ANJANA PADMANABHAN: GOOD PARENTING

Indian Idol Junior-10 year old Anjana Padmanabhan’s pathway to her title is a story of hard work and diligence and the single minded drive of her mentor father Mr.Padmanabhan who taught his single girl child so many Bollywood songs over this short period.

Short and bubbly ,the smoky toned little diva has set a spectacular standard amongst school children in the country to show poise and perseverance in the art of creating a her own graph in music.When Amitabh Bachhan handed her the little trophy-it was a testimony to the synergy of two ‘greats,' who were decades apart but shared a love for excellence.

Sitting in the crowds in a crisp, white shirt was her father, filled with pride and perhaps reflecting upon the journey of his little daughter whom he had personally mentored.Here is a story of great parenting in an age when anything can happen.Here is a story of personal tutelage which we thought has flown out of the window.

Modern day parenting has its struggles and its challenges.In today’s world there’s nothing scientific thing about it.

Because there are no white and black rules in human predicament -but there is something called love and devotion-something called dedication and conviction-something called nurturing with care. As parents, most of us do what we think is right. We try to teach our children lessons that we hope will stick with them, we give them warnings that we know they will probably ignore, and we try to figure out how to show them what really matters in a world with too much stimulus.

Modern parenting hinges on quality time spent with kids.In one of the episodes she told the Indian Idol judges:” I don’t know the meaning of the song,my father teaches me,I listen to him,and learn it.”

At the end,you could see the joy born of obedience in the little girl as she performed day after day-inspired to grow in her own graph as the 3 judges gently nudged her towards the finishing line with songs of great amplitude and bravado.Her two most historic songs were the songs from Barfi with legendary singer Papon and her solo from Chennai Express.Leaving Shreya Ghoshal breathless and spell bound is a feat to accomplish but this little 10 year old did it effortlessly just tapping her tiny toes to the rhythm-wrapped in her own innocence.

It is clear that as parents and elders we just want kids to be happy,while reaching their full potential, and we’ll do whatever is in our power – to help make that happen.In the end, Anjana’s father has given her a solid platform to start from .He is in charge of where she has started from. Maybe all he can really offer is a place of security and love to take off from as she heads out into the world to be a singer of repute and talent. If nothing else, he has given her the knowledge that she is loved and valued, and that there is someone who will never stop nurturing his little daughter into a nightingale for the future.A beautiful lesson in the leaves of modern day parenting.